Spain's Iberia takes dispute with pilots to court

(Adds Iberia court petition)

MADRID, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Spanish airline Iberia's (IBLA.MC: Quote, Profile, Research) dispute with its pilots took a new twist on Tuesday as the airline said it had taken the matter to court.

Hours after a meeting between the two sides was cancelled, Iberia said it had petitioned Spain's High Court for access to minutes of meetings held by pilots' union Sepla, alleging its members were disrupting flights without the union calling official strike action.

"The company has requested the minutes as proof positive that the union has urged members to exert illicit pressure," Iberia said in a statement.

Iberia estimates that since talks over working conditions broke down on Dec. 4, the pilots' action had forced it to cancel over 350 flights and cope with delays on another 3,500 routes.

An Iberia spokesman said no new meeting with the pilots had been convened.

A spokeswoman for Sepla said cancellations and delays were caused by insufficient staffing levels and management problems.

"At the moment, Iberia has five planes under inspection and 70 pilots on a training course," the Sepla spokesman said.

She said Sepla had sent a letter on Monday to Iberia's management proposing various alternative dates for rescheduling talks.

Iberia shares closed down 1.5 percent at 2.0 euros, underperforming Madrid's benchmark 35-share IBEX index .IBEX which ended off 0.3 percent at 9,068.5. (Reporting by Robert Hetz; Writing by Judy MacInnes and Paul Day; Editing by Greg Mahlich and David Holmes)